Graham Potter is struggling to excite West Ham fans seven months into the job and many will be scratching their heads after his bizarre comments on the eve of the new season.
Julen Lopetegui’s tenure was so dismal that by the time he was sacked in January, West Ham fans may have welcomed just about anyone.
That being said, when Graham Potter was appointed his successor, opinion was divided.
That split very much remains after half-a-season of grace where Potter was under no real pressure due to a complete lack of jeopardy in West Ham’s woeful campaign.
Even then, when West Ham threw away a late 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 at his old club Brighton and he was booed off by both sets of fans, he showed he’s not particularly good at coping with stress and criticism.
Potter lost his cool in the press conference afterwards and if he thinks that was pressure then he ‘ain’t seen nothing yet’. Certainly not by past standards when things don’t go well in east London.
Potter talks a good game, now he has to back it up
The Hammers boss talks a good game.
And he has undoubtedly turned what was clearly a toxic atmosphere in the dressing room around.
But serious doubts remain among Hammers supporters.
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Many were sceptical about his appointment given Potter had been out of the game for almost two years after being chewed up and spat out by Chelsea.
A record of just five wins from 19 games has done little to convince West Ham fans that an exciting new era is on the horizon.
Graham Potter during AFC Bournemouth v West Ham United FC: Premier League Summer Series
Photo by Kevin C. Cox – Premier League/Getty Images for Premier League
Hammers fans live in the real world, though, and know last season’s team was not his.
Now Potter will be judged, even if he’s only been able to make four signings this summer.
And there are question marks over whether he had much of a say in two of them – Kyle Walker-Peters and Callum Wilson.
It has all been a bit vanilla so far under Potter. That is putting it politely because some West Ham fans will tell it like it is and say it’s been boring.
Maybe that’s what West Ham need to steady the ship for a while?
But Hammers fans live off excitement, they want to see mavericks and skill and their team having a go at the opposition.
Potter is struggling to shake the PE teacher with a psychology degree vibe among some Hammers fans who remain totally unconvinced.
After promising an “exciting and interesting” summer window, Potter has now been telling the press he is “pleased” with the business West Ham have done so far.
That’s despite making just four signings – only two of whom could be deemed serious additions to the starting XI.
Being so accepting of West Ham’s lack of ambition – whether it is PSR-inflicted or otherwise – is not doing Potter’s hopes of shaking off his ‘board yes man’ tag.
Now Potter has made a bizarre comment about his West Ham hopes with the jury out.
And it just sums up the uninspiring no-man’s land the Hammers find themselves in ahead of the big kick-off at Sunderland.
Graham Potter applauds during West Ham United v Lille OSC - Pre-Season Friendly
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
David Moyes once said it was better to under-promise and over-deliver when in his early days at West Ham.
There is a lot to be said for that.
But at the same time Moyes would always embrace pushing as high as possible and he wasn’t afraid to come out and put on record that he wanted to try and qualify for Europe and challenge the big guns.
West Ham fans lap that kind of ambition up.
They are a fanbase who live off hope more than anything else.
Alan Curbishley once said that if you give West Ham fans a bit of hope then the club can be like a juggernaut.
Most West Ham fans are far from convinced with the style of football or the manager.
Heading into the new season, many are tipping the Hammers for relegation.
Jamie Carragher believes West Ham are going to drop down to the Championship.
Potter: ‘We’re optimistic… until we start’
And given the lack of investment and woefully inept use of a specially-extended window to overhaul the midfield and striker departments, it is hard to argue with his rationale.
If Jarrod Bowen is out for any sustained period then West Ham could be bang in trouble.
While refusing to put the owners under pressure over the lack of signings, despite stating he was impressed by the ambition of the board when accepting the job, Potter is inadvertently making his own bed and may soon have to lie in it.
With the new season here and the window closing in just over two weeks, it feels like West Ham are standing at another crossroads.
But despite having seven long months at the helm, with very few distractions, Potter continues to insist West Ham are a ‘work in progress’.
His most baffling comment ahead of the new campaign came in a new interview with Sky Sports.
Asked about his hopes for the season, Potter responded: “Until we start, we’re optimistic and we’re hopeful, but we also know the competition.”
What a meek thing to say on the eve of a new season.
Potter is essentially saying; ‘we’re positive and happy right now but we may get a rude awakening’.
West Ham fans are desperate to like Potter and for him to be a success.
But he needs to start exciting them on and off the pitch.
Hammers fans want and expect exciting attacking football.
Yet West Ham have sold their most explosive and exciting attacker without replacing him.
And Potter has somehow kept a straight face behind the scenes when saying he doesn’t believe West Ham need a young striker, as ageing and injury-prone Callum Wilson was brought in to add competition for their only other senior striker – who is also ageing and injury-prone – Niclas Fullkrug.
Many fans feel West Ham are in for a shock when what’s expected to be the most competitive Premier League season for over a decade kicks off.
Potter’s comments suggest he already knows what’s coming.
The jury is out on the softly spoken tactician.
Start badly and he’ll soon remember what real pressure feels like.